Cleaning device



Dec. 31, 1940. A, c; mbco 2,226,630

CLEANING DEVICE Filed Dec. 19, 1936 3 Sheets-:Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HZVZ'I?6f fif 'ora.

ATTORNEY.

I Dec. 31,1940.

A. C. M CORD CLEANING DEVICE Filed Dec. 19, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2llllllIllllllll|7|I||||I lllllllllll I l IIIIII ll w m w A Deb. 31,1940. A. c. MCCORD 2,225,630

CLEANING DEVICE Filed Dec. 19, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet s (BY E ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to cleaning devices and more particularly tovacuum cleaners of the type in which a suction producing apparatus andthe cleaning means are portably encased together and connected to the.cleaning nozzle by means of a length of flexible hose.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved secondaryscreen for a vacuum cleaner by which a larger proportion of the finedust is prevented from entering the fan chamber.

Another object of.my invention is to provide an improved form of vacuumcleaner op rating mechanism which will be stable and'capable ofmaintaining itself inoperative position without auxiliary supportingmeans.

Another object of my invention is to provide, for a vacuum cleaner ofthis type, an improved cleaning mechanism having a plurality of dustcollecting devices in series, one of said devices being more readilyremovable than the other, the parts being so arranged that removal ofone device serves to clean the other.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved air cleaning ordust collecting device made entirely of metal or other rigid waterproofmaterial.

A further object of my invention is to provide in one of the forms animproved dust collecting device and attaching mechanism whereby thedevice may be removed, washed, and immediately placed back in usewithout waiting for it to dry,

- and without soiling the hands of the operator.

Another object of my invention is to provide a dirt trap in which theincoming air is cleaned and passed directly out of the trap withouthaving to pass through any dirt accumulated therein.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved suctionproducing apparatus and means to control the flow of air therethrougheither on the suction or the blower side thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved nozzle andconnections between the nozzle and air moving apparatus whereby the airmay be blown from or sucked into the nozzle, these operations beingobtainable alone or in combination.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear in thefollowing description and appended claims, reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings forming apart of this speci- Fig. 1 is aperspective view of the suction end of. my improved vacuum cleaner.

. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the blower end of thecleaner.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of my cleaner, the section beingtaken on a vertical plane parallel to the center line of the cleaner,and showing in detail the suction producing and air cleaning mechanisms.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. 3.

Fig. '5 is another transverse vertical sectional view, taken'on the line5--5 of 3.

Fig. 6 is still another transverse vertical view,

taken on the line 66 of Fig. 3, showing the.

means for automatically cleaning the inner of the two cleaning devices.

Fig. 7 is afragmentary perspective view showing a part of the cleanermechanism.

Fig. 8 is a view showing the inner cleaning device.

Fig. 9 is a transverse view partly taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 10 is a view showing the means for regulating the size of thesuction opening in the casing.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of a combined suction and blower nozzle.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view showing a modified construction of a part ofthe cleaning system.

The vacuum cleaner to be described preferably comprises an outer memberinto which is built a vacuum chamber at the intake end and in whichis'located air cleaning means of the two-stage type. The outer memberalso forms an intermediate chamber in which is located suction producingmeans, and a final or discharge chamber that provides a. free outlet forcleaned air eliminating the necessity for baflles or shutters. V

The first cleaning stage is efiected in a removable collector in whichthe heavier dirtparticles are entrapped by a combined centrifugal andfiltering action. The second cleaning stage is eflc'ected by a cleaningscreen which arrests any thereon. I

Means are also provided in my improved cleaner for convenient removal ofthe collector and for. discharging the entrapped dirt. and also forautomatic shaking of the screen while the collector box is beingremoved.

The cleaner is adapted tobe used selectively as a suction cleaner, as ablower, or as a combined in section of the smaller dust particles whichmay impinge A still further object of my invention is to problowing andsuction device, means being provided for adjustably regulating both thesuction and the blower action thereof.

In the drawings there is shown, by way of example, a cleanerembodyingthe present invention. Referring to Fig. 1, the cleaner comprises anenclosing member 20 of rectangular prismatic shape, said member beingadapted to rest on one of its sides. The member is preferably made ofsheet metal, and a. plurality of protecting and supporting lugs 2| maybe pressed out of the metal at the supporting side. The ends of themember 20 are closed by air tight covers 22 and 23. The front or suctioncover 23 is provided with a coupling having a bayonet slot forconnecting a length of rubber hose 24, the opposite end whereof isfitted with a suction nozzle 25. At the top of the enclosing member, andabove the center of gravity of the cleaner, there is provided a rigidhandle 28 secured thereto in any suitable manner such as by screws 21.One end of the handle 28 is recessed as shown at 23 for covering prongs29 adapted to engage a plug 30 provided on the end of a cable 3|. Thusthe cleaner may be connected with a suitable source of electric energy.A switch 32 controls electric connection of said prongs 29 with anelectric motor 33 driving a two-stage centrifugal blower 34 secured atthe end of the armature shaft 35 of the motor, said shaft being disposedsubstantially along the center line of the casing 20. The directingvanes 34a are carried by the motor jacket, to be described, in anyconvenient manner.

The motor 33 is supported by a ring 36, which forms the division wallbetween the intermediate and discharge chambers previously referred to,of angular cross section secured inside of the member 20, lugs 31provided on the motor housing being connected to said ring 36 by meansof a plurality of screws 38. Rubber inserts 39 are provided between thescrews 38 and the lugs 31 for the purpose of resiliently mounting themotor 33 and dampening vibrations thereof.

A substantially streamlined air jacket consisting of two portions 40 and4| encloses the motor 33 and the blower 34 and directs the air toward anopening 42 provided in the back cover 22 of the member 20. Said jacketportions are secured to the flange 43 of the motor housing by means of aplurality of screws. The front end of the portion 4| bears against thepartition 44 attached to the member 20, a suitable gasket 45 beingprovided between said partition and the flanged edges of the portion 4|,screws 38 operating yieldably to press said -gasket 45 against thepartition 44.. A circular hole 46 is provided at the center of thepartition 44 concentric with the axis of the motor shaft 35. Thepartition forms the division wall between the vacuum and theintermediate chambers.

The jacket portion 4|! converges rearwardly, and its rearmost extremityis provided with hose connecting means foruse during blowing operationof the cleaner. Qpenings 41 adapted to be adjustably closed by a springpressed shutter 48, controlled with the aid of a handle 49, are providedin said portion 40 -for the purpose of adjustably controlling the areaof the blower discharge openings, thus providing means for regulatingthe action of the cleaner.-

The air cleaning means are of the two-stage type.- The first stagecleaning means is a collector box or cleaning trap 50 rigidly secured tothe front cover 23. This boxmay be made of sheet metal or other rigidwaterproof or nonabsorbent material. Between the front wall 5| of saidbox 50 and the cover 23are provided means for locking and unlocking thecover-andbox unit to the member 20. Said means comprise a handle 52carrying a plate 53 to which are hingedly connected lock bars .54sliding outwardly in brackets 55. When the handle 52 is ,vided with ahinged door 56 normally kept locked by a spring 57, said door forming adirt outlet when the box is to be emptied. The top of the box 50 isformed of a perforated plate 58 preferably of metal or other waterproofmaterial, sloping rearwardly and downwardly. The bottom plate 59 of thebox slides on runners 99, the flanges 66a whereof operating in the slotsformed between said plate 59 and strips 6| secured to the plate 59. Thefront plate 5| is provided with a hole 62 through which the air entersthe box near its top.

Means are provided within the box to cause curvilinear air flow throughthe box, said means, as shown, being baflie plates 63, 54 and 65, whichare secured to the front plate 5| andslope rearwardly therefrom.Thesebaffles are disposed in such a relation with respect to the opening62 that the air entering therethrough is directed diagonally downtowards the curved portion 56a of the door 56.

The second stage of the air cleaning process is effected by a clothmember 68 comprising a piece of flnely woven cloth or other screeningmaterial held in a frame or retainer ring 61 which is removably attachedto the portion 44 by means of a plurality of spring holders 68.Reenforcing wire screen 69 is secured to the frame for the purpose ofsupporting the cloth and preventing it frombeing pulled out of the frameby the pressure of the flowing air.

Means for shaking off the flne dust particles which adhere to thecloth'are exemplified by a metal pin 66a secured to a plate fastened tothe cloth at the center thereof and adapted to engage the slotted end E0of a shaker bar H perpendicular to the plate. This bar is hingedlysupported in the member 29 along the bottom thereof as shown in Figs. 6and '7. The horizontally extending portion of the shaker bar 7| isprovided with a wavy edge I3 adapted to be engaged by a slotted follower14 (see Fig. 7) secured to the bottom of the box 50. When the box 59 isbeing removed the follower 14 causes rapid oscillations of the bar IIand, consequently, shaking of the cloth to remove therefrom any adheringfine particles of dust.

With the structure described above, the operation of my novel andimproved cleaner is as followsiWhen the plug 30 electrically connectedto a suitable electric circuit is inserted into the recess 28 and theswitch 32 is thrown on, the motor 33 rotates the blower 34 and draws theair out of the air cleaning. or vacuum compartment. The partial vacuumcreated therein causes the air to flow into said compartment through thenozzle 25 and hose 24, and to carry therein the dust and dirt'particlespicked up at the nozzle. Upon entering the box 59, the speed of the'airdecreases and the heaviest dirt particles which were rolling along thelower portionits travel between the bailles B3, 84 and 65 and isdischarged downwardly against the curved portion of the door 56,whereupon it turns downwardly and forwardly as indicated by the arrowsin Fig. 3. Because of the centrifugal force, the

heaviest particles of dust are thrown outwardly and are deposited in themiddle of the rear corner of the box as indicated at 18. In itscontinued travel the air strikes the front wall 5| of the box and turnsupward, depositing more dirt at this point. Because of the strongcurrent of air between the baflies, the air is partly recirculated andfollows said current, but most of it is separated in two streams bytheobliquely arranged baffles 63 and 64. These two streams flow forwardlybetween the side walls of the box 5t and the baflles 63 and 64. Uponreaching the end of said baiiles the air in said two streams rises uparound the edges of the baiiie 65 and flows up along the side walls ofthe box 50 into the wedge space formed by the baflie 65 and theperforated plate 58. Here the air loses most 'of its velocity andfilters through the plate 58. The dust particles which are too heavy tobe held in suspension in the air seeping through the plate 58 fall downmostly in the middle of the baffle plate 65 where the air speed is theleast, and slide down toward the lower endoi' the plate where they getinto the downward current of newly drawn-air flowing between the baiiiesand sent on a repeated cycle, during which most of the remaining dustparticles aredeposited (because of the centrifugal force) in the cornersof the casing as above described. It should be distinctly understoodthat above are indicated and explained only the main tendencies of, theair currents in the box W, and that under actual conditions numerouseddies will somewhatmodiiy and divert said currents from the pathsindicated.

The partially cleaned air flows away from the plate 58 and toward thecloth member 88. By passing through the cloth the air'is finally fiteredand any remaining dust particles contained therein are detained by saidcloth and the second stage of the air cleaning process is therebyeffected. The cleaned air continues its flow and passes through therunners or impellers of the blower 84 and is discharged under a certainamount of pressure into the rear part .of the Jacket ll. Part of thedischarged air passes through the motor 83 andcools the same, while theremaining air passes around the motor and enters the rear portion 40 ofthe air jacket from where it is discharged partly through the openings41 and partly through the central opening, through which is alsodischarged the motor cooling air. All the air is finallydischarged'through the opening 42 of the cover 22.

It is an important feature of the present invention that both thesuction and the blower action of the device can be controlled by twoindependent means. Said means are represented in the present embodimentby the above described shutter 48 at the end of the air jacket and by adamper 18 at the'suction end of the cleaner. The damper 18 may beprovided at any place between the opening 62 in the front plate 5| andthe suction nozzle 25. It comprises means restricting the cross sectionof the intake opening and it may be made in the form of a fiat damperpiece slidable in friction ways 18 and adapted to restrict the opening88, said friction ways when made of rubberserving also as a sealingmeans for the damper piece 19. r

In the operation of the device either as a blower or as a suctioncleaner, closing the damper I8 increases the resistance of the airintake means and limits the air discharge. Thus, both the suction andthe discharge can be regulated.

When a hose is connected to the central dis-- charge opening of the airjacket 48 as indicated at ll in Fig. 2, opening of the shutters 48 mayvthus adjustably decrease the air discharge when desirable to do so. Whenthe device is operating as a suction cleaner only, a certain limitedamount of control may be secured byopening and closing said shutters. Iprefer to use the control situated in the intake air passage of thecleaner since it possesses many inherent advantages. One of themconsists in avoiding building up excessive pressure in the enclosing member, such as is done when the discharge opening is being restricted,while another advantage is found in a wide range of regulation controlwhich may extend from the maximum capacity of the device topractically'zero. It should be noted that under certain conditions it isinadvisable to operate the device with the discharge opening completelyor nearly closed.

With the above described type of regulation control, the necessity ofproviding complicated means for regulating the speed of the electricmotor is entirely eliminated.

Numerous valuable advantagesare attainable device more stable, lessnoisy, more compact in operation and in storing, and very easy andpleasant to handle. The rigid handle located at the center of gravity ofthe device improves the handling characteristics still further. Thecollector box isa rigid unit with the front cover and it can be removed,and emptied in a most simple manner. It can also be washed, if desired,andthe device may be used after such washing without the necessity ofdrying it. The handle which positively locks the box in the casing isalso used for removing, carrying and washing the box. Preliminarycentrifugal separation of the heavier dust particles prevents cloggingoi the perforated plate. I i i Fig. 11 shows a modified form of thecleaning nozzle'for combined suction and blower action of the device,and referring thereto said nozzle may comprise a body portion 8| inwhich there is provided a suction opening 82 connected by means of ahose 83 with the suction side of the device. A plurality of blowingopenings 84, in

the present instance two, are provided in proximity to said suctionopening 82 and are confor the purpose'of keeping the hose 86 normallyinterrupted and to, permit selective use of blowing openings when thesame is advantageous, such as when cleaning under radiators and thelike.

Fig. 12 shows a modified construction'of the battle plate. In this casean opening 81'is provided in the battle plate 88 corresponding to theplate 85 of the preferred structure, for the purpose of opening up theend or thewedge-shaped space formed between the baille plate 81 and theperforated plate 58 to allow dust there collected to be sent on a returncirculation by letting it be drawn by the air flowing from the airreceiving opening in the wall-5i. This opening e1 extends downwardly toa point slightly above the top 01 the opening 62, but no further. Henceno interference can occur with the main currents oi air above described.

, Although I have described my invention with a specific embodiment, theprinciples involved are susceptible of numerous other applications whichwill readily occur to persons skilled in the art. The invention is,therefore, to be limited'only as indicated by the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In a cleaning device having an enclosing member, a cover on saidmember, means for securing said cover to said member, a dirt trap madeof-non-absorbent material rigidly secured to said cover and providedwith air receiving and air discharging openings, means on said cover forremovably connecting a suction hose to said box at the air receivingopening, a plurality of bame plates within said dirt trap for effectinga now of air in said box in a plurality of curvilinear paths,

and an air filtering metal member arranged at said air dischargingopening.

2. In a cleaning device, a plurality of relatively movable air cleaningelements, and means extending between said elements including a memberfor agitating one of said elements upon the occurrence of relativemovementbetween said elements.

3. ma cleaning device, an enclosing member, I

an air cleaning element removably mounted in said member, a second aircleaning element in said member, and means extending between saidelements including a member for agitating said second element when saidfirst element is moved ing element, and means on said first air cleaningelement to impart a movement to said connecting member.

ALVIN C. McCORD.

